Appalachia Grows Conference
You can be a part of the vitality and future of agriculture in our region! 
  • Home
  • Contact

Conference Agenda

Picture
Previous Agenda
Friday, March 17, 2017 - Farm Marketing Success

12:00 pm  Registration & Vendor Area Opens
12:50 pm Welcome
1:00 pm  Session 1

A.  Legal Considerations for Farm Marketing and Structuring your CSA Member Agreement
    Sarah Everhart, University of Maryland Agriculture Law Education Initiative 
B.  Pricing Farm Raised Meat Cuts 
    Ginger Myers, Marketing Specialist for Ag and Natural Resources, University of Maryland Extension Director, Maryland Rural Enterprise Development Center  
C.  Value added products through Co-Packing
    Calvin Riggleman, Froopers Gourmet Central
D.  TBD

2:00 pm  Session 2
A.  Growing and Marketing Winter Greens
    Eli Cook, Spring Valley Farm
B.  Selling to Restaurants: When Farmers and Restaurants LOVE Working Together    
    Patti Miller,  GM and Sourcer-er for Panorama at Peak – A Local Foods Restaurant 2005-2016 
C.  How Can I Make My Display Set Up Easy and Appealing
    Chuck Schuster, Extension Educator – Commercial Horticulture, UME
D.  Agritourism on the Farm
    Donna Brooke-Alt, Brookedale Farms

3:00 pm  Break  
3:15 pm  Session 3

A.  How to Use Effective Marketing to Maximize Sales at Farmers Markets
    Shelley Brosius, Maryland Farmers Market Association 
B.  Session TBD
C.  Starting and Operating an On Farm CSA
    Hana and Ben Yoder, Savage River Farm
D.  Value-Added Agriculture: Challenges & Solutions
    Kelly Dudeck, Grow and Fortify

4:10 - 5:30 pm  Local Food Social - Cafeteria

Saturday, March 18, 2017 - Small Farms Conference
8:00 - 9:00 am  Registration & Vendor Area Opens
9:00 am  Welcome and Keynote Address
     Featuring WV Commissioner of Agriculture, Kent Leonhardt
9:30 - 10:20  Session 1

A.  Cover Crops and Disease Suppression in Vegetable Crops
    Kate Everts, Extension Specialist, University of Maryland 
B.  Grafted Tomatoes in High Tunnels
    Willie Lantz, Extension Educator, UME
C.  Insuring Your Operations – Simplified
    Carrie See, Agent at Carrie See Insurance
D.  Rotational Grazing From the Grass Up
    Jeff Semler, Extension Educator, UME-Washington County 

10:20-10:40 am  Morning Break and Refreshments
​
10:40 - 11:30 am Session 2

A.  Soil Chemistry and Fertility
    Jarrod O. Miller, Extension Educator, UME  
B.  Small Grain Processing 
    Tom McConnell, WVU Small Farm Center
C.  Building Farmer Networks through Peer-to-Peer Education
    Joanna Winkler, Future Harvest - Chesapeak Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
D.  Breeding Management for Off Season Breeding of Sheep
    Marlon Knights, Associate Professor, WVU

11:40 - 12:30 pm Session 3
A.  Spotted Wing Drosophila: An Invasive Pest of Small Fruit Crops
    Chris Taylor, Postdoctoral Research Associate, UMD Dept. of Entomology  
B.  Pluses and Minuses of High Tunnel Strawberry Production 
    Kathy Demchak, Sr. Extension Associate, Dept. of Plant Science, Penn State University
C.  Farmer Grants
    Nevin Dawson, Sustainable Agriculture Coordinator, UME
D.  Small Flock Poultry Management
    Jeff Semler, Extension Educator, UME-Washington County

12:30 - 1:30 pm  Lunch

1:40 - 2:30 pm  Session 4
A.  Understanding the Food Safety Modernization Act
    Justine Beaulieu, University of Maryland 
B.  Farm Taxes
    Tom McConnell, WVU Small Farm Center
C.  Planning and Funding Opportunities for Small Farm Operations
    Chad Bucklew, District Conservationist, Garrett and Allegany Counties, MD, USDA NRCS
D.  Session TBD

2:40 - 3:30 pm  Session 5
A.  Winter Storage Crops
    Lewis Jett, Extension Specialist Horticulture, WVU
B.  Using Biopesticides for Insect and Disease Management in Small Fruit and Vegetable Systems
C.  Western Maryland Food Council
    Dan Fiscus and Corey Armstrong, Western Maryland Food Council
D.  What You Need to Know about the Veterinary Feed Directive 
    Walt Bumgarner, Extension Educator, Penn State Extension


Friday Morning "Students Only"   Sessions

Friday morning student sessions are sponsored by Farm Credit.  High school and college students as well as their teachers and professors may attend free of charge, including lunch.  Download the flyer to learn more. 
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.